The Contract Said No Strings Attached (Charlotte) novel Chapter 95

There was an uneasy silence before the old patriarch finally broke it. “Well, she’s certainly good-looking. I’d say she and my grandson make quite the pair.”

Mrs. Austin scoffed, muttering under her breath, “So what if she looks good? She’s already had four kids. She’s hardly a match for my Dylan. Poor Dylan—left holding the bag for someone else’s mess.”

Jacob tugged gently at her sleeve, signaling her to stop.

Thankfully, Rebecca hadn’t caught Mrs. Austin’s muttered words; she just felt the woman’s hostile gaze and couldn’t help feeling uneasy, though she forced herself to appear composed.

Steadying herself, Rebecca spoke up. “Grandfather, you asked me here—was there something you wanted to discuss?”

The old man didn’t bother with pleasantries. He got straight to the point. “I called you because of the Austin family’s future—our family line.”

“Our family line?” Rebecca frowned, puzzled.

He nodded. “I know you’ve already had four children, but now that you’ve married into the Austins, I expect you and Dylan to have a child together as soon as possible. You know as well as I do—our family has always had only one son per generation. The bloodline is thin. For your generation, having a child is the most important thing you can do.”

Rebecca felt a wave of discomfort at his words. She frowned and replied, “Grandfather, you wanted me here just to tell me to have children?”

The old man’s expression darkened. “It’s tradition, Rebecca. It’s your duty to the Austins.”

Mrs. Austin’s voice sharpened, rising in pitch. “Don’t you get smart with me! Someone like you should be grateful just to marry into the Austins! And now you dare talk back?”

Rebecca gave a cold laugh. “Grateful? Let’s be clear: I didn’t marry Dylan to chase the Austin fortune. If you think you can treat me the way you treat other women, you’re sadly mistaken. I don’t owe your family a thing. You have no right to belittle me like this.”

Jacob jumped in, trying to smooth things over. “Can we all just calm down and talk this through?”

But Mrs. Austin wasn’t having it. She pressed on, “You don’t owe us? You’re holding onto the title of Mrs. Austin, and that means you’re supposed to give us a son. The Austins don’t need someone like you playing matriarch! If you won’t give Dylan a child, I’ll find someone who will. There are plenty of women out there just waiting for the chance!”

Rebecca’s hands clenched at the edge of her jacket, her face growing paler by the second. “Mrs. Austin, you have no respect for me at all. I am not your family’s broodmare. If that’s really how you feel, then there’s nothing left for us to discuss. Go ahead—find whoever you like. It’s your business, not mine.”